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Fort Jackson

Whether you're a veteran on a sentimental journey, a soldier at Fort Jackson, or a family looking for hot summer fun, come sample our historic city. Explore the museums at Fort Jackson or other attractionson post. Enjoy our world-class zoo and one of the largest children's museums in the world. Many Columbia attractions and hotels offer military discounts. Check them out!

Attending Fort Jackson Graduation?As you browse the listings on this website, be sure to look for the Richland Northeast/Fort Jackson and the Columbia Southeast/Fort Jackson regions. These two regions are most convenient to Fort Jackson. Refer to the navigation down the left side of the website for helpful information in planning your visit.

Military Memories at Fort JacksonIt’s quite likely most who’ve served in the United States armed forces have warm memories of Columbia’s Fort Jackson. The Fort, encompassing more than 52,000 acres east of Columbia, is the largest and most active Initial Entry Training Center in the United States Army, providing training to 50 percent of all the Army's Basic Combat Training load and 55 percent of all female soldiers entering the Army.

The fort’s acreage includes more than 50 ranges, 1,000 buildings and more than 44,000 soldiers are trained here each year. In the 2011 fiscal year, the Fort trained 36,000 Basic Combat Training (BCT) and 8,000 Advanced Individual Training (AIT) soldiers. An additional 19,000 soldiers attend the Soldier Support Institute, Chaplain Center, Polygraph School and Drill Sergeant School.

Thirty six hundred active duty soldiers and their 11,520 family members are assigned to the installation and make Columbia their home. Fort Jackson employs 3,500 military and 3,500 civilian workers and provides services for more than 46,000 military retirees of all branches and their family members. Several museums located onsite are open to the public and describe America’s military history and trace Fort Jackson’s contribution to America’s military strength.

More than 100,000 family members visit Columbia each year to attend Thursday morning basic training graduation, a stirringly patriotic event that takes place 41 times during the year.

For additional information about the Friends of Our Forces program, contact Susan McPherson at the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce at smcpherson@columbiachamber.com or 803.733.1148.